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Fast&up Mumbai Walkathon draws 5,000 participants in grand debut
MUMBAI: The inaugural Fast&up Mumbai Walkathon witnessed an overwhelming response, with over 5,000 participants taking to the streets to celebrate fitness, community spirit, and the simple joy of walking.
Flagged off from JVPD Grounds, the event was graced by distinguished personalities, including Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), municipal commissioner, Bhushan Gagrani, IAS officer; Maharashtra Naval Area, flag officer commanding, rear admiral Anil Jaggi; Maharashtra Police, former commissioner, Dhanushkodi Sivanandhan; Fast&up, CFO, Shilpa Khanna; and JustwalkIndia, co-founder, Vinay Bhartia. The scenic route took walkers past film legend Amitabh Bachchan’s residence, along juhu beach, before looping back to the starting point.
The event featured three walk categories,
– Ten kilometre pro walk (6:00 am) attracted 42 per cent of participants.
– Five kilometre family walk (6:20 am) the most popular segment, with 44 per cent of walkers.
– Three kilometre fun walk (6:40 am) 14 per cent of participants enjoyed a leisurely stroll.
A major highlight of the walkathon was the participation of 10 individuals with prosthetic legs, showcasing resilience and determination. Women outnumbered men across all categories, making up 52 per cent of the total participants.
Among the most inspiring walkers was 75-year-old Urmila Bhatia, who urged the younger generation to step away from screens and embrace an active lifestyle. Additionally, eight participants marked their birthdays at the event, making fitness a part of their celebrations.
Wheelchair participant Niranjan Jadhav commended the initiative, saying, “Events like this inspire confidence and encourage people of all abilities to stay active.”
As the walkathon clocked an impressive 44 billion steps, it reinforced fitness as a way of life. JustwalkIndia co-founder Vinay said, “Our goal is to provide a platform for citizens to begin their fitness journey. This turnout has been truly humbling.”
The Fast&up Mumbai Walkathon concluded on an energetic note, leaving behind a legacy of inspiration, camaraderie, and a renewed commitment to fitness setting the stage for even larger editions in the years to come.
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HSBC names Gautam Anand to head global India private banking unit
The bank taps a 25-year veteran to run its franchise as the war for wealthy NRI clients heats up
MUMBAI: HSBC has handed Gautam Anand the keys to its global India private banking business, betting that a seasoned operator can squeeze more out of one of the world’s most lucrative pools of offshore wealth.
Anand, who joined HSBC Private Bank in December 2023 as global co-ordinator for Global India, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, steps up to lead the franchise outright. He will run the operation across India and its key international outposts in Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom, putting him squarely in the middle of the corridors through which Indian money flows abroad.
The appointment is a signal of intent. HSBC only launched its global private banking business in India in 2023, pitching hard at high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients as part of a broader assault on Asian wealth management. The bank now wants Anand to turn that beachhead into a fortress.
He comes well-armed. Before HSBC, Anand clocked time at UBS, Credit Suisse, ANZ and ABN Amro, a CV that reads like a roll-call of the banks that have long competed to manage the fortunes of India’s affluent diaspora.
With Indian wealth exploding at home and spreading fast across global financial centres, the race to capture it is only getting fiercer. HSBC is backing Anand to make sure it does not finish second.
